Modelling.

Ahimsa

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Would you mind your partner, or other adult family member, exploiting their body by posing nude for life drawing classes, or photography, if the fee paid was given to an animal charity?
 
With regards my wife, I might have a problem with photography if is for mens sexual pleasure, but as an artist who has done much life drawing and an ex-hippy who believes nudity is natural and innocent, I only see benefits. I think the attitude is more important than the nudity - there is such a thing as tasteful nude art and photography. The rest of my family can do what they please.
 
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With regards my wife, I might have a problem with photography if is for mens sexual pleasure, but as an artist who has done much life drawing and an ex-hippy who believes nudity is natural and innocent, I only see benefits. I think the attitude is more important than the nudity - there is such a thing as tasteful nude art and photography. The rest of my family can do what they please.
Thanks, that's an interesting perspective. Pity you're not local I may have a volunteer for your life drawing. Don't worry, it wouldn't be me, I get paid to keep my clothes on these days! 😉
 
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Thanks, that's an interesting perspective. Pity you're not local I may have a volunteer for your life drawing. Don't worry, it wouldn't be me, I get paid to keep my clothes on these days! 😉
Umm, seems like I'm going to have to post far more ethical questions, about chips for example, to get some debate on this philosophical forum! 🤔
 
Growing up books of fine art which included nudity were a normal part of our household. I still remember in second grade at 7 years old I brought a collection of Renoir prints for show and tell. Several of those prints were nudes - my teacher was
a bit uncomfortable. Nudity in fine art is Beautiful nudity in pornography is Shameful in my opinion...
 
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Growing up books of fine art which included nudity were a normal part of our household. I still remember in second grade at 7 years old I brought a collection of Renoir prints for show and tell. Several of those prints were nudes - my teacher was
a bit uncomfortable. Nudity in fine art is Beautiful nudity in pornography is Shameful in my opinion...
My parents used to help run the nudist camp at Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight, many years ago when the place was absolutely thriving with naturists and their families. Different world now it seems with naturism being almost frowned upon by many people. I think that's a shame because people shouldn't find nudism wrong. Pornography is, as you say, very often shameful, but I will say that it's sometimes difficult to know where to draw the line between nude art and soft porn. My wife has modelled nude a few times in the past, but nothing indecent. Naturism used to be our thing but as I said, not much of that around these days.
 
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When I first moved to France at 31years old my boyfriend and I would sometimes go to a nudist beach not far from Montpellier the first time it was a bit of a shock since in my native California public nudity was not common. I imagine that there were probably private places but they wouldn’t be well known like the beaches in France. It was also possible to swim and sunbathe nude at the river near the Pont du Gard without getting into trouble. It was really a nice feeling of freedom without being sexual...I do think that it depends on the situation as to wether or not it is appropriate...
 
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When I first moved to France at 31years old my boyfriend and I would sometimes go to a nudist beach not far from Montpellier the first time it was a bit of a shock since in my native California public nudity was not common. I imagine that there were probably private places but they wouldn’t be well known like the beaches in France. It was also possible to swim and sunbathe nude at the river near the Pont du Gard without getting into trouble. It was really a nice feeling of freedom without being sexual...I do think that it depends on the situation as to wether or not it is appropriate...
I agree, it is a very nice feeling of freedom/ liberation. You also feel closer and more at one with nature, which as vegans we particularly enjoy. However, as you say, the appropriateness depends on the situation, especially in relation to where you are, and who you're with.
 
Would you mind your partner, or other adult family member, exploiting their body by posing nude for life drawing classes, or photography, if the fee paid was given to an animal charity?

As an artist who has drawn and painted nude models of both genders and all kinds of sexual orientations, I can tell you that there is nothing remotely sexual in drawing or painting the human figure from life. If you try to draw or paint the human figure, you will find that it is insanely difficult. It gets easier over time, once you've drawn several thousand poses, but it never stops being challenging. An artist drawing or painting a nude model is only thinking about how to produce a good drawing or painting. They do not see the model as a sex object. They may have vague thoughts that the human body is beautiful, and they may try to capture this beauty as best they can, but in the end, they are trying to depict the human body and its humanity.

Just as drawing or painting a live model is challenging, modeling is also challenging. It is not easy to come up with 20, 40, or even more 1-minute poses that are interesting for artists to draw. It is not easy to find 5-minute or 10-minute poses that are interesting to draw and can actually be held for 5 or 10 minutes. It is not easy to be in the same position for 20 minutes. It is even more difficult to go back to that position after a 5-minute break. Models have told me that even a relaxed pose gets painful as it gets longer. This is why the best models tend to be professional dancers.

In any serious modeling session, there are procedures in place to ensure that everyone remains professional. The model is usually given a private space to remove their clothes. They usually pose on a stage, which provides psychological separation between the model and the artist. They typically pose in 20-minute segments, and they put on a robe during the 5-minute breaks in between. The individual poses can last anywhere between 30 seconds to 40+ hours in total. In the best modeling sessions, no one speaks during the poses. Photography is not allowed, and to ensure that no one takes photographs, everyone puts away their electronic devices while the model is posing.

Non-artists tend to get caught up in puritanical ideas that the human body is shameful, and that the nude body can signify nothing but sexuality, but artists do not think this way. A man or woman who poses nude is not "exploiting" their body any more than a dancer, an athlete, or a yard worker.

I would not say the same things about pornography or prostitution. I do not believe that being a sex worker is healthy. Please try not to confuse posing for nude drawings or paintings with sex work. By the way, in case it matters, I am a woman and a feminist who believes in the dignity of all human beings.
 
As an artist who has drawn and painted nude models of both genders and all kinds of sexual orientations, I can tell you that there is nothing remotely sexual in drawing or painting the human figure from life. If you try to draw or paint the human figure, you will find that it is insanely difficult. It gets easier over time, once you've drawn several thousand poses, but it never stops being challenging. An artist drawing or painting a nude model is only thinking about how to produce a good drawing or painting. They do not see the model as a sex object. They may have vague thoughts that the human body is beautiful, and they may try to capture this beauty as best they can, but in the end, they are trying to depict the human body and its humanity.

Just as drawing or painting a live model is challenging, modeling is also challenging. It is not easy to come up with 20, 40, or even more 1-minute poses that are interesting for artists to draw. It is not easy to find 5-minute or 10-minute poses that are interesting to draw and can actually be held for 5 or 10 minutes. It is not easy to be in the same position for 20 minutes. It is even more difficult to go back to that position after a 5-minute break. Models have told me that even a relaxed pose gets painful as it gets longer. This is why the best models tend to be professional dancers.

In any serious modeling session, there are procedures in place to ensure that everyone remains professional. The model is usually given a private space to remove their clothes. They usually pose on a stage, which provides psychological separation between the model and the artist. They typically pose in 20-minute segments, and they put on a robe during the 5-minute breaks in between. The individual poses can last anywhere between 30 seconds to 40+ hours in total. In the best modeling sessions, no one speaks during the poses. Photography is not allowed, and to ensure that no one takes photographs, everyone puts away their electronic devices while the model is posing.

Non-artists tend to get caught up in puritanical ideas that the human body is shameful, and that the nude body can signify nothing but sexuality, but artists do not think this way. A man or woman who poses nude is not "exploiting" their body any more than a dancer, an athlete, or a yard worker.

I would not say the same things about pornography or prostitution. I do not believe that being a sex worker is healthy. Please try not to confuse posing for nude drawings or paintings with sex work. By the way, in case it matters, I am a woman and a feminist who believes in the dignity of all human beings.
Thank you for your contribution, Poivron, which I totally agree with. 🙂